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The Destination! - The Gift of Friendship
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The Gift of Friendship by Jolene Eller
A few weeks ago in church, our pastor was speaking about a "Friend that sticks closer then a brother." Proverbs 18:24b With Christmas approaching, my thoughts were about Mary. She truly amazes me. If I was her, I know I wouldn't have had the faith she had. As I read, I'm struck by her so wanting to go visit Elizabeth who lived miles away. "At that time Mary got ready and HURRIED to a town in the hill country of Judea." Matthew 1:39. Mary had just found out she was with child and to travel such a distance is truly a testimony of her commitment to Elizabeth. Elizabeth too was pregnant but was further along in her pregnancy.
Just think of a first trimester of pregnancy. Most women are nauseated, exhausted, emotional, can't eat, etc. I can't fathom how Mary must have felt at this point but she was insistent on going to be with Elizabeth. Now how Mary traveled, I don't know. Did she walk? Did she ride on a donkey? And how long did it take her? But we know that Mary did go and spend that quality time with Elizabeth. A "friend sticks closer then a brother." What a blessing Mary must have been! She was an encourager, helper and friend. From scripture we know that Elizabeth was so excited to have her there as well as her baby. "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb," Matthew 1: 41. God had made such an intimate time for them to be there for each other. Matthew 1:56 tells us that Mary stayed there for 3 months. I'm sure Elizabeth encouraged Mary as well during her early pregnancy.
I don't want to totally focus here on Mary but on the precious baby she was carrying. Our precious Lord is the one who truly sticks closer then a brother at all times. For we know that when we can go to no one else, He is always there to listen. I think of the chorus... "where can I go from your Spirit, where can I go from you presence, from the Heavens down to the deepest valley, You are there." Psalms 139: 7-8. God knows us so intimately to the point that He knows every hair on my head. Matthew 10:30. Do you know God truly as a friend? Do you know Him at all? He came to this world because He loves you so much. He wanted to see what we truly go through so He can understand. Hebrews 4:15 states, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses but we have one who has been tempted in EVERY way, just as we are, yet was WITHOUT sin." So God knows what our temptations are. He knows our frustrations. He's lived on this earth but did so without sin. This way He can be that "friend that sticks closer then a brother."
There is a song by Selah that I'd love to end with entitled "Mary Sweet Mary." "Mary, Sweet Mary, your heart overflows. Deep in the night child a babe is born. Sacred and Holy, blameless and pure. Mary Sweet Mary, tonight your child is born. Mary, Sweet Mary, so strong and so frail. Carried a baby sent to save the world. Wise men will seek Him and find in Him peace. Mary, Sweet Mary, tonight Your king is born. All of the angels, danced as Heaven sang, All of the earth stood so still and so peacefully. Mary, Sweet Mary, God's precious Child. Blessed Redemption is found in His eyes. All creatures great and small, He came for all. Mary, Sweet Mary. tonight your Savior is born. Mary, Sweet Mary, tonight OUR Savior is born.
Celebrate with me our Savior, the true friend that "sticks closer than a brother. |
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